New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-31
P1CHIC RAILROAD REPORTS

P1CITIC RAIIEOdD EEPOETS
The failure Of the Pacific Railroad Commits
sion to agree results in two reports. which are
now made public. Ex-Governor Pattison, of
PENNSYLVANIA who was appointed at thc head
Of the Commission. is ontvotcd by his asso-
GATES. Mcs,rs. f. +. Anderson. Of this city, and
David II. Iit,lcr. Of Illinois. and their report
favorS an extension Of the obligations Of the
land grant railroads. while GoycuVr lattlSon
minority report proposes forfeiture OF the
charters on the ground that the companies
have in many ways violated law. Ii j. a
singillr Illustration II the power Of prejudice
over minds not II the lowest calibrc that the
same evidence appears 10 the different mem
hers OF the Commission 20 prove quite opposite
aud contrary things and not the least interest
lng feature Of the majority report Is It's lndic-
nant protest against Governor latt son a~Sct-
ton that the cy dcncc establishes various st1ic-
mcrts which the majority find it entirely fails
10 cstl' li>h.
1t is a misfortune for thc public that both
report, are largely devoted 10 investigation ~
questions no longer u practical importance To
this generation Whether the builders oi
Pacific roads, whose woik Was finished about
twenty years ago. conducted their operations
with integrity or wisdom would seem 10 be- not
F.. m,tt.r 81 much practical and living ine,rc-t
nor is il in the highest degree important now
To know whether the steps taken ten or fifteen
years ago in the management. consolidation
and extension Of these roads were objection
able il character. II j. not denied that the extern
sions and CONSOLIDATE ms have, in fact. bcnc-
Gtcd the comlanic, and the public. Nobody
expects substantial benefit to Government or
to security -holdcts from proceedings against
individual, charged with wrongdoing in those
ancient days. and really the only question Of
practical importance i whether the Govern
m,nt can protect itself and the public interest
best, rs to the present and the future, by one
course or another. But the Comm,, on was
required by a not particularly sensible act of
Cong css to investigate these passages Of
ancient history, and 1t Is largely with regard
to these that the conclusions Of the Commission
rs to matters Of fact widely didcr though
based on the same testimony.
The majority report ccnsuIcs Mcs>rs. Gould
and others for specific acts ~ connection with
the Union Pacific consolidation, and the buid-
crs Of the Central Pacific and other roads Tor
other specific acts. and IL certainly cannot be
accused Of a disposition to shield any OF them
But it holds that the companies have in nearly
all points complied strictly with the laws under
Ahich they were acting, that IL is now UNIV 1876
10 cast any cloud over the legality Of the Union
Pacific consolidation, since the ma jOrlty is con-
yIncod that IL resulted TO the benefit Of the
roads concerned and Of the public. Governor
l'attisOns report msccldncou>ly pitches into
everybody and everything, with a IoOscncSs Of
statement and Il careless cCniOunding Of tho
ccnSurablc with the prliscworthy which does
not win for HIM the confidence Of impartial
persons.
The practical measures proposed differ
radically. Governor Iattson would forfeit
charters with "a beautiful Indifference To the
Tact that this stop would bring no practical
good to the Government or the people. The
majority shows that the Governments liens
cover only pant Of the property necessary 10
the successful operation OF the lines IN the
case Of the Union Pacific, for instance they
cover Il line Of rails. but not the tcrmint, AT
either end nor ~! Of the branches and cOnncc-
tons which make the property valuable. No
body could Afford to bid for the property
covered by the Government lien. if sold by
itself. Nobody could afford 10 run thc zines
Just as they are, in hostile competition with the
Southern Pacific and other lines since con-
Structcd. The majority holds that the Union
Pacific. under present management. has been
so faithfully and capably developed that it does
afford as Il whole. fair security for the Gov
crnmcut Indebtedness but that the other roads
do not. Ii therefore recommends an extension
Of liabilities with new bonds covering the
whole Of the. properties, and with fixed pay
mcnts to sinking funds for the protection Of
the Indebtedness.
The doubt whether either of the companies,
except perhaps the Union Pacific will accept
the measures proposed, and whether the alter
native steps suggested in event of their refusal
will prove Of any practical value. is strongly
urged by Governor lattisOn and is not clearly
removed by the report Of the majority. II il
only too true that the hostile attitude Of tho
Cover nmcnt, i'm the Thurman act and other
measures calculated to force the land grant
roads into a position other than that which they
occupied under the original laws have resulted
in the completion of other lines not controlled
by Government, ia competition which